Monday, June 27, 2011

Fab! Tuff! Outasight! - Monkees Mania in Romance Comics!

Hello, romance comic fans! When I was a kid and dragged to comic book conventions, I quickly learned that having a niche thing to collect made the cons ten thousand times more fun. At 12 years old, I wasn't super into collecting comics (yet), but I had been recently captivated by the Monkees and oh goodness, was I obsessed! And so, the comic book conventions I attended with my family turned into all out Monkees memorabilia hunts. I still really dig the Monkees and I am of course a wee bit sad I won't be seeing any of their latest tour performances.

Anyhow, how does this relate to romance comics, you ask? Well, there are quite a few advertisements for Monkees merchandise in the romance comics. Quite fitting when you think about it!

In the DC advice column "To You... from Carol Andrews" from Falling in Love #95 (November 1967), Carol advises readers on a new teen mag from DC called Teen Beat. The inaugural issue featured a sensationalistic story on the Monkees!

The second issue of Teen Beat was reincarnated as Teen Beam. This house ad for Teen Beam advertising frameable Monkees pictures was printed in Young Love #66 (March/April 1968).

Charlton published a magazine called Teen Tunes and Pin-Ups and naturally, advertised it in their romance comics. This ad featuring Micky, Davy, Mike, Peter and compatriots appeared in Teen Confessions #48 (January 1968).

Space in some of DC romance comics were purchased by Charlton to advertise their "huge kissable - SINGABLE - posters" of the Monkees. This one appeared on the back cover of Girls' Romances #130 (January 1968).

The Beatles made a few appearances in the stories and covers of romance comics, but besides these advertisements, I don't think any story in romance comics mentioned the Monkees. *Sob!*